Mary Ellen (Heising) Ausman, 90, formerly of Pittsfield died November 10, 2017 in Palo Alto, California after a short illness.

Mary was born in Newark, NJ on November 25, 1926, a daughter of the late Teresa A. and Raymond A. Heising. She graduated from Summit High School, and then went on to earn her BA in Economics from The College of New Rochelle. She worked for the Teamster Union of New York City from 1948-1951.

In 1966 Mary and her family moved to Pittsfield, where she lived for 40 years. She was a proud member of both the Pittsfield Planning Board and the City Council, the Berkshire County Commissioner’s office, the Commission of Berkshire Women and she worked as a docent at Arrowhead, or the Herman Melville House, for many years. Mary was also a board member for Elder Services of Berkshire County, Girls, Inc., and Girl Scouts of Western MA, Fort Worth, TX, and New Orleans, LA. Mary was a former communicant of Sacred Heart Church of Pittsfield for over 40 years, and more recently was a communicant at Church of the Nativity of Menlo Park, CA.

Mary was predeceased by her husband of 47 years, J.G. Ausman, who died September 18, 1999.

She is survived by her three daughters, Kathryn V. Arnold of Mountain View, CA, Carol A. Baker of Fort Worth, TX and Patricia M. Ausman of Framingham, MA, as well as her two grandchildren, Erika R. Arnold and Robert D. Arnold.

Services: A Memorial Mass for Mary will be Saturday, December 9th at 10am at Sacred Heart Church, 191 Elm St. Pittsfield, with Rev. Michael Bernier, pastor, officiating. Family and friends are asked to please meet directly at the church. Following Mass, Mary will be buried next to her husband at Pittsfield Cemetery. The Devanny-Condron Funeral Home has been entrusted with local arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, Memorial Donations may be made to Catholic Charities USA, in care of the Funeral Home. 

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